Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth specifications and in-depth review

Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth

Manufacturer: Gigabyte

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth is an ATX form factor motherboard built around AMD's AM5 socket and the X870 chipset. It includes integrated Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 5.4, along with RGB lighting and a three-year warranty. The board supports overclocked DDR5 memory up to 8200 MHz across four slots, with a maximum capacity of 256GB over two channels.

Connectivity on the rear panel includes two USB 4 40Gbps ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, four USB 2.0 ports, and a single RJ45 ethernet jack alongside an HDMI 2.1 video output. For internal expansion, the board provides one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, one PCIe x4 slot, four M.2 sockets, and two SATA 3 connectors, with full support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10. Audio is handled by a 7.1-channel solution rated at 120 dB SNR, complemented by an S/PDIF output and two analog audio connectors.

Pros
  • Supports Wi-Fi 7 alongside all previous Wi-Fi generations down to Wi-Fi 4, ensuring broad wireless compatibility
  • Two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB 4 40Gbps ports on the rear panel provide very high-speed peripheral and device connectivity
  • Four M.2 sockets offer ample high-speed storage expansion without relying on slower SATA connections
  • DDR5 memory can be overclocked up to 8200 MHz across four slots, with a maximum capacity of 256GB
  • Eight fan headers give considerable flexibility for managing airflow and cooling configurations
  • Full RAID support across modes 0, 1, 5, and 10 makes the board suitable for both performance and redundancy storage setups
Cons
  • Only two SATA 3 connectors are available, which limits the number of traditional hard drives or SSDs that can be connected directly
  • No dual BIOS means there is no automatic fallback if a firmware update fails or the BIOS becomes corrupted
  • The easy CMOS reset feature is absent, making BIOS recovery less straightforward
  • No DisplayPort output is available, leaving HDMI 2.1 as the only video output option on the rear panel
  • ECC memory is not supported, which rules out use cases requiring error-correcting RAM
Who is this for?

This board is well-suited to enthusiast desktop builders who want a high-end AMD AM5 platform with room to grow. The PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and four M.2 sockets make it a strong foundation for demanding workstation or gaming builds that rely on fast storage and cutting-edge discrete graphics. Users who need versatile high-speed connectivity will benefit from the two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 4 40Gbps ports, and Wi-Fi 7 support, making it particularly practical for setups involving fast external drives, docks, or high-bandwidth peripherals. The eight fan headers and DDR5 overclocking support up to 8200 MHz also appeal to builders who actively tune and optimize their systems.

Who is this NOT for?

This board is not a good fit for users who need ECC memory support, such as those running workloads that demand error-correcting RAM for data integrity. The absence of dual BIOS and an easy CMOS reset mechanism makes it less forgiving for less experienced users who are new to BIOS flashing or system recovery. Additionally, with only two SATA 3 connectors and no eSATA or legacy storage interfaces, it falls short for builds that depend on multiple traditional hard drives or older storage devices.

General info:

CPU socket AM5
chipset X870
form factor ATX
supports Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Has Bluetooth
Bluetooth version 5.4
HDMI version HDMI 2.1
Easy to overclock
has RGB lighting
Easy to reset BIOS
Has dual BIOS
has aptX
CPU sockets 1
Has integrated graphics
warranty period 3 years
height 244 mm
width 305 mm
Has integrated CPU

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth uses the AM5 socket and is compatible with the X870 chipset, built in the standard ATX form factor measuring 305 mm wide and 244 mm tall. It supports a single CPU and has no integrated processor or integrated graphics. Wireless connectivity is handled by a built-in adapter covering Wi-Fi 4 through Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) alongside Bluetooth 5.4, though aptX audio is not supported. The board includes an HDMI 2.1 output, RGB lighting, and an overclocking-friendly design, though it lacks a dual BIOS setup and does not offer a dedicated easy CMOS reset mechanism. A three-year warranty is included.

Memory:

maximum memory amount 256GB
RAM speed (max) 5200 MHz
overclocked RAM speed 8200 MHz
memory slots 4
DDR memory version 5
memory channels 2
Supports ECC memory

The board supports DDR5 memory across four slots in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Native RAM speeds reach up to 5200 MHz, while overclocking can push that figure to 8200 MHz. ECC memory is not supported.

Ports:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) 2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A) 4
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C) 1
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 2.0 ports 4
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports 0
USB 4 40Gbps ports 2
USB 4 20Gbps ports 0
Thunderbolt 4 ports 2
Thunderbolt 3 ports 0
has an HDMI output
DisplayPort outputs 0
RJ45 ports 1
Has USB Type-C
eSATA ports 0
DVI outputs 0
has a VGA connector
PS/2 ports 0

The rear panel offers a broad range of USB connectivity, including two USB 4 40Gbps ports and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, and four USB 2.0 ports. There are no USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, Gen 2x2, or USB 4 20Gbps ports present. Video output is limited to a single HDMI port, with no DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connectors available. Network connectivity is provided by one RJ45 port, and there are no eSATA or PS/2 ports on this board.

Connectors:

USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion) 2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (through expansion) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports (through expansion) 1
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (through expansion) 0
USB 2.0 ports (through expansion) 4
SATA 3 connectors 2
fan headers 8
M.2 sockets 4
Has TPM connector
U.2 sockets 0
Has mSATA connector
SATA 2 connectors 0

For internal expansion, the board includes four M.2 sockets and two SATA 3 connectors for storage, while SATA 2 and U.2 sockets are absent, and there is no mSATA connector. USB headers allow for two additional USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port through expansion, though no USB 3.2 Gen 2 or USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 headers are present. Cooling is well catered for with eight fan headers on board, and a TPM connector is also included for security module support.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots 0
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots 1
PCIe 3.0 x16 slots 0
PCIe x1 slots 0
PCI slots 0
PCIe 2.0 x16 slots 0
PCIe x4 slots 1
PCIe x8 slots 0

The board provides two physical expansion slots: one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for the primary graphics card or high-bandwidth add-in card, and one PCIe x4 slot for additional expansion. No PCIe 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0 x16 slots are present, and there are no PCIe x1, PCIe x8, or legacy PCI slots on this board.

Audio:

Signal-to-Noise ratio (DAC) 120 dB
audio channels 7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port
audio connectors 2

The onboard audio solution supports 7.1-channel output and delivers a DAC signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB, indicating a clean analog output. Two audio connectors are available on the rear panel, and an S/PDIF Out port is also present for digital audio passthrough.

Storage:

Supports RAID 1
Supports RAID 10 (1+0)
Supports RAID 5
Supports RAID 0
Supports RAID 0+1

The board supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 (1+0) configurations, covering the most common setups for both performance-oriented and redundancy-focused storage arrangements. RAID 0+1 is not supported.

Final Verdict

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth is a well-specified ATX motherboard that targets experienced builders working with AMD's AM5 platform. Its standout connectivity — anchored by Thunderbolt 4, USB 4 40Gbps, and Wi-Fi 7 — positions it as a capable choice for high-bandwidth workflows and modern peripheral ecosystems, while four M.2 sockets and DDR5 overclocking headroom up to 8200 MHz leave meaningful room for performance tuning. Some practical limitations, such as the lack of dual BIOS and limited SATA connectivity, mean it is best matched with users who are comfortable managing their systems and have already transitioned to NVMe-based storage. Overall, the X870 Aorus Stealth makes a coherent case for enthusiasts seeking a feature-rich AM5 board with forward-looking connectivity in a standard ATX footprint.